Redemption of the Sword Hero
by Zikari8
Summary: Everyone wants a second chance. To fix your mistakes, to change the present, to make everything right. When Ren is given that chance, the opportunity to change everything he had done, he takes it eagerly, swearing to erase his sins. But time isn't that easy to manipulate. Join him on his ultimate quest for redemption. (Heavy Web Novel Spoilers. Proceed with Caution)
1. Chapter 1: Revival

Warning: The following piece of literature contains heavy spoilers for the Japanese Web Novel, known as Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari. Proceed to read with caution

* * *

Disclaimer: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is the property of Aneko Kusagi, Aiya Kyuu, MF Books, and Yen Press. Please support the official release

* * *

On a day like any other, my life changed.

"_, run!"

I yelled ferociously and lept at the man wearing a ski-mask. Wrapping my arms around him, I rushed forward and brought the both of us to the ground. The man struggled under my grasp and tried to break free from my hold.

Meanwhile my mind went into a frenzy.

Dammit, dammit, dammit. How the hell did I get into this mess?

I'm just a normal, average higschooler who likes video games. After another uneventful day at school, I was heading home like normal and ran into a troublesome situation. What I ended up stumbling into was a murder in progress.

Had it been any other time, I would've kept my distance to preserve my safety and run. However, my close childhood friend, _, was there too and in immediate danger. Without thinking about it, I charged the murderer and tackled him, trying to help my childhood friend.

With the murderer firmly under me, I fought his desperate struggle to escape my grasp. He wrestles with me and puts strength into his arms.

As if!

If I let him go, he might go on a rampage and harm or even kill _.

I fended off his shove and raised my arm. With a loud bang, my fist rammed into his chest. I felt his body loosen from the impact. There was less strength in his struggles. Good.

"Go now, _. Run away!"

I took the chance to turn back and yelled at my childhood friend, who was watching the scene in terror and shock.

"Eh? B-b-but. W-what about you?" (Childhood Friend)

She trembled and questioned my own situation.

"Forget about me. I'll be fine. Go!"

Suddenly, I felt force build up under me as the murderer redoubled his efforts.

How troublesome… was what I thought as I turned back to face the murderer again. However, all I was able to see in time was him pull out something from his hoodie pocket.

"That's!?"

"Hah! Now die!" (Murderer)

With vicious bloodlust, the murderer stabbed my side.

Unbelievable amounts of red liquid poured out from the wound.

After a short moment, the realization of what happened kicked in.

"Guuaaaa!"

Waves of sharp pain permeated through my body. Even through all the pain, I was able to feel the cold metal pierce through my flesh as the murderer dug it further and further into my wound.

My body began to contort from the stab. I momentarily let go of the criminal.

"N..N… No!" (Childhood Friend)

The despaired scream of my friend brings my mind back into focus.

That's right. If I let go of this guy, he'll get _. I… I…

"I can't let that happen!"

In a fit of desperate adrenaline, I struck back at the murderer, this time placing myself directly over him and going for his neck. My hands took a firm hold of his throat and began to squeeze tightly.

As a strangle him, the murderer continued to struggle and drove the knife further through my flesh.

I was in so much pain, I could barely think straight. I was nearly unconscious but my resolve never wavered as I continued to grip on the murderer's neck.

Sometime, after what felt like an eternity of pain and battle, I realized, with the knife lodged firmly in my sides, that I was gonna die.

Slowly, my consciousness began to fade, as did the murderer's. Regret began to come over me.

Looking back, I didn't have a really long or fulfilling life. I was just a normal highschool student whose hobby was VRMMO's. I hadn't done anything special or remarkable.

Thinking back to all those people I cared about, my friends, mother, father, _, and all the things I would never do, a brief sadness came over me. Facing my lost moments, only one thought existed in my mind:

I don't want to die.

"Ren!" (Childhood Friend)

The last thing I hear is my childhood friend calling my name.

* * *

Ah, that's right. I've already died once. To think I'd remember it now...

Regrettably, the hp bar on my status reached zero. As if a switch had been turned from on to off, my life was cut from my body. In the face of my enemy's attack, I… died.

I tried to look up. I tried to see the one who killed me. But my vision became blurry and my consciousness became harder and harder to maintain.

I see… so I died again. This is my second death but I sure would like this to not become a habit.

When I first entered this new world, I felt at home. It was just like the popular VRMMO, Bravestar Online, that I played. I thought I could start fresh. I could abandon my death and become a legendary hero, revered and respected by all.

But, of course, reality is cruel. I was far from a hero. The knowledge I held was not only useless but became my downfall. I made mistakes, mistakes I could never take back. The comrades I never truly trusted died believing in me, and innocent civilians I'd never met but trusted in the strength of the heroes were slaughtered by the hundreds. Without considering the possibility of death or the lives of others, I acted all cool and did something unforgivable.

Yes, that's right. If I have to name a single mistake, it'd have to be my personality. I was conceited. I was reckless. I was stupid.

To all those that believed in me… I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Dammit… why did it have to end like this? I have so many regrets left. I still haven't atoned for my sins. I haven't avenged the deaths of my comrades. Who's gonna look after Wyndia once I go? There's still so much to do after this battle.

Ah, right. Didn't I say I'd confess my love after the battle? Perhaps that death flag was what doomed me. How foolish…

In the end, though, I guess it's okay if I die. Even if I fall here, everyone else will succeed my will. They'll carry on my hopes and win the battle. In the end, as long as Eclaire and Wyndia and everyone are smiling, it doesn't matter what happens to me, right?

As if!

What's the point if I'm not there with them?

Naofumi, Itsuki, Motoyasu, Gaelion, Wyndia, Eclaire…

I can't die here.

I don't want to die.

I DON'T WANT TO DIE!

""Oooo…"" (Crowd)

The sound of amazed voices enter my ears.

"What?" (Ren)

"Eh?" (Itsuki)

I was unable to hold back my surprise. Before my very eyes, the scenery around me had warped. Instead of the open, bloody battlefield filled with the sounds of combat, I was suddenly indoors within a massive room populated with many people, most of whom were dressed in robes. There also happened to be a suspicious altar with a magic circle inscribed in it, underneath where I was standing.

I was immediately confused. Where was I? How did I even get here? Teleportation? But I don't remember using Transfer Sword or anything…

I took a quick glance around the room to see if I could find any clues and noticed the people standing next to me. Naofumi, Itsuki, and Motoyasu were all in similar situations, glancing around with confused expressions on their faces.

Also, the clothes they were wearing were weird. No, their clothes were all completely normal, from one point of view. After all, they were wearing t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, even a school uniform, and other modern apparel. They were all clothing that belonged to a different world.

Speaking of which, I soon realized that I was wearing something similar. An all too familiar, track jacket and pants covered my lean body. I recognized them immediately. They were the clothes that I had worn when I was first summoned… no, it can't be.

"Oh, honorable heroes. Please save our world!" (Summoner)

"Huh?" (Itsuki, Motoyasu, & Naofumi)

A robed man stepped up and shouted out much to the surprise of the others.

And there it was. Everything was playing out exactly as I remembered it. No doubt about it, this is definitely the day I had first been summoned.

No, no, no, hold on, that can't be right. How could I possibly be back to when I was first summoned? In fact, didn't I just die? Shouldn't I be, I dunno, dead!? Is this supposed to be my life flashing before my eyes? Is this how it worked?

Calm down, Ren. If Naofumi were here (Oh wait, he is.), he'd probably tell me to stay cool and analyze the situation. First, check my status…

… oi, what's with this status. It… hasn't changed at all. I'm still Lv. 160, the same as I was when I died. All of the swords that I had unlocked were still there, though my gold and drops were gone.

Things aren't adding up. I'm back in the place and time when I was first summoned yet my status hasn't reverted to level 1. At first, I suspected that I'd somehow travelled back in time, but that would've turned back my levelling progress as well, right? What the hell was happening?

"This is outrageous..." (Ren)

I sigh, glaring unhappily at my status.

"Yeah. You can't just bring us here without our permission. Not only that, you're making us work for you. Isn't that just slave labor?" (Itsuki)

Eh? Oh right, this was still happening.

I assume that while I was blanking out, examining my status, the robed man had explained why we were brought here and now Itsuki was complaining.

You sound angry but you're smirking, Itsuki. Aren't you just happy that you're in a game world? Well, I was too.

"P-please, at least have an audience with the king before you do anything rash. You can negotiate the details of your compensation there."

One of the summoners walked over to the door and opened it. Light poured into the dark, stone room, ushering us to join it on our way to the throne room.

"Alright, then." (Itsuki)

"I guess we can spare some time." (Motoyasu)

With a few side remarks and sluggish shrugs, Itsuki and Motoyasu follow the summoner.

Hmm… well, I suppose I should also join them. For now, since I don't really know what's happening, I'll play along and observe the scene. There might be some clue to this weird situation I've been placed it.

"C'mon, let's go." (Ren)

I call out to Naofumi, who was lagging behind, signaling for him to also follow.

"Ah, right." (Naofumi)

Looking closely, Naofumi seems a lot more… innocent. His face doesn't give the impression of a guy who hates everything. Rather than the slanted glare I'm used to, his eyes are larger, round, and full of colour. He seems naïve and sort of cheerful. Huh, I guess irritation wasn't always his default state.

"Uh, is there something on my face?" (Naofumi)

"N-no. Nothing. Let's hurry before the others leave us behind." (Ren)

After a short walk through a stone hallway with many windows, where everyone else gaped at the scenery I was all too used to, we arrived at the familiar audience chamber.

"Oh? So these are the Legendary Heroes."

Oh, it's Trash. No, he wasn't called Trash back then, was he? What was his proper name again?

"I am the king of this country, Aultcray Melromarc the 32nd. Raise your heads, Heroes." (King)

Oi, they weren't lowered in the first place, Trash. Oops, I should probably stop thinking of him as Trash, or I'll accidently say it out loud.

Anyways, Trash, I mean, the king begins to tell us about the wave. I don't really pay much attention to it all since I've already heard it once; just like how you'd skip the tutorial of a game you've played before.

Besides, I probably know even more than the king at this point, such as the true nature of the wave… Wait, what was it again? That's weird, why can't I remember it. Not only that, there seems to be a few other holes in my memory. This might have something to do with my current situation.

"This sure is convenient for you, making us work for free." (Itsuki)

"… it does seem selfish, you know. Dragging us into this when it has nothing to do with us." (Motoyasu)

"Well, it's true we have no obligation to help you. And suppose we do save the world, only to get sent home empty-handed after all out hard work? Nobody would take a risk like that unrewarded." (Naofumi)

"Urk…" (King)

After the King's tutorial explanation, the others raise their obvious complaints.

"Of course, it goes without saying that we were planning to richly compensate you for your efforts. Besides that, we'll also prepare discretionary funds to support you on your journey. It's a small price to pay to ensure your cooperation in saving our world." (King)

"Well, as long as you promise. But don't think that means you own us. We're just cooperating as long as you stay on our good side." (Itsuki)

"That's right." (Motoyasu)

Itsuki's acting a little cocky here… Ah right, he doesn't yet know that he has to start at level 1. With everyone worshipping him as a legendary hero, he probably thinks that he can actually take on the kingdom as he is.

"Now then, Heroes. Tell me your names." (King)

"Ah, right. I'll start. My name is Amaki Ren, age 16." (Ren)

In response to the king, I quickly introduce myself.

"Your occupation?" (King)

"Hero…er, Highschooler…" (Ren)

Out of habit, I responded by calling myself a hero.

"Heh. Hero? You're adapting quite quickly to this world, aren't you?" (Itsuki)

Itsuki sneers, but I ignore it. It was my mistake after all. I should probably avoid saying anything or looking suspicious.

"Right, I'll go next. The name's Kitamura Motoyasu, college student, 21." (Motoyasu)

"Oh, me now? My name is Kawasumi Itsuki. I'm a 17-year-old high-school student. (Itsuki)

"Guess I'm last. The name's Iwatani Naofumi, and I'm a 20-year old college student." (Naofumi)

Hm? After everyone's introductions, the king seemed to glare at Naofumi with contempt.

"Hmm. Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki, eh?" (King)

"…uh, your majesty? What about me?" (Naofumi)

"Oh, my. My sincerest apologies… Naofumi." (King)

Yeah, no doubt about it. The king was purposely agitating Naofumi. I don't really remember it well, but doesn't the king have some sort of secret agenda against Naofumi. It's because he's the shield, isn't it. How silly…

"Now, if everybody could please confirm their statuses?" (King)

Well, I already checked my status back in the summoning room so I don't really need to. Ah, but, the king is looking at us, so I should at least pretend to do so.

Hm? As I start to open my status, I see the other three look around confused.

"Umm… how do we do that, exactly?" (Itsuki)

Itsuki timidly asks the king for help. I kinda remember being the one to teach them back then, so I guess I'll do so now.

"Ah, don't worry. There should be an icon in your peripheral vision, if you focus. Focus on it and you'll open your status, Itsuki." (Ren)

I do it myself, as if to demonstrate, though they can't actually see my own status.

Amaki Ren

Class: Sword Hero Lv. 160

Equipment: Dragon Era's Hour Hand (Legendary Weapon), Otherworldly Clothing

Skills: Phoenix Gale Sword, Meteor Sword, etc.

Magic: Magic Enchant, etc.

Yup, nothing wrong here… wait, what was that weapon I was holding.

Immediately, I look down and realize that I wasn't holding the Small Sword that I'm supposed to have or the Houou Sword I was using when I died. Instead, a pure black sword rests in my hands shaped at the top like an arrow. I must've not noticed since I'm too accustomed to having my sword and didn't check.

I vaguely remember gaining this sword back when I visited the Filorial Sanctuary. Let's check its description.

Dragon Era Hour Hand 0/300 LR

Equipment Bonus: N/A

Ability: Time Reversal

Special Effect: World Divergence

Time Reversal? Could it be that this sword was the reason why I've gone back in time to the day I was summoned?

The King and the other heroes began talking again but I ignored them to examine the sword. As the name suggested, its form resembled an oversized clock hand. Its stats, though, were pathetic and were definitely not made for combat. Other than that, the only things that stood out about the sword were its special abilities.

After a little twiddling with the menu, I found out that Time Reversal couldn't be manually activated. Does that mean it only activates by itself under certain conditions? If so, finding what conditions activated the ability would be crucial.

Looking back, I can only think of two possibilities for the activation of Time Reversal: Death or Regret. Leaving aside the first one, you see it a lot in fiction where a main character's regret causes him to go back in time to change the past. Perhaps, when I died, the sword answered my unfulfilled regrets and sent me back to fix my mistakes.

As for the other one, death wasn't a condition I was willing to test out. If I'm wrong, I'll just die without going back in time. Still, going back in time after death, sounds far too similar to the familiar concept known as respawning. It is a game-like world so… maybe?

"…we will gather companions for you – the best of the best, have no worries. However, the day grows late. For now, rest yourselves and gather your strength. Your journey begins tomorrow." (King)

Oh, it seems that while I fiddling around with the sword, all the explanations were finished.

"Thank you." (Itsuki)

"Yeah, thanks." (Motoyasu)

Leaving behind a few words of gratitude, we relocated towards the guest quarters the king had prepared for us.

* * *

Afterword:

Hello, this is Zikari8, author of this fanfic and overall miserable guy. Lately, I've been left with a lot of free time for an extended period of time and decided to funnel all that time and energy into writing... cause that's what I do when I'm not busy (Which is 90% of my life).

I really like Ren. As the series continued, he's become more and more of a protagonist, such that I think he's the most shonen-like hero among the four divine heroes. With that in mind, I felt like he needed his own series from the beginning of the adventure, but I wasn't satisfied with just a re-writing of the series from his persepctive. Inspired by the side story, Startover of the Spear Hero, I took the same premise and applied it to Ren. Result came out pretty well so I thought I'd sare it with y'all.

Anyways, this has been Zikari8 here, man of abandoned stories and no continuations. There's a lot of things wrong with my writing, that I'm too lazy to fix, so I'm counting on you all to spur me to do so by reviewing. Otherwise, tune in for more chapters later. Bai.


	2. Chapter 2: Dialogue in the Dusk

Warning: The following piece of literature contains heavy spoilers for the Japanese Web Novel, known as Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari. Proceed to read with caution

* * *

Disclaimer: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is the property of Aneko Kusagi, Aiya Kyuu, MF Books, and Yen Press. Please support the official release

* * *

Upon getting to the guest quarters, we all flopped onto the extravagant beds inside and began studying the help menu for our weapons. Or at least, the others did. It had been a while since I'd been in such a comfortable bed, so I just sprawled on my bed and absentmindedly looked around my status.

As I expected, nothing had changed at all. My Weapon Book hadn't lost any entries, or at least none of the important ones that I remember or care about. As mentioned before, I had lost all my stored gold and items, but they could all be regained slowly. Compared to my weapons, drops were of secondary importance.

I soon discovered that my proficiency levels were reset too. I suppose, going back in time would cause my experience with these weapons to go back to zero. I still have all the strengthening methods that I've gained from the other heroic weapons but I don't have the materials so that's going to take a while to bring them back to their original strength.

Hmm, why is it that the first thing I think about when getting a moment of rest is strengthening and how to increase my power. Is this what you call occupational disease? No, it's probably just the inner gamer within me getting all giddy at the prospect of levelling.

After quite a large amount of time making enhancement plans, I eventually got tired of staring at the status screen. I sat up from the soft bed and noticed that the sun outside the window was nearly done setting. The others were still absorbed in reading their menus, with faces full of eager excitement for the newfound journey.

Somehow or another, I've definitely gone back in time. Either way, I'd have to restart my relationship with the other heroes if I don't suddenly wake up back in my timeline. I remember quite a few bumps in our friendships so I'd prefer if we could get along a little better this time around.

"Everyone." (Ren)

I address the three other heroes who turned towards me.

"What's wrong?" (Naofumi)

"We're kinda busy you know." (Itsuki)

"What? Did you find something interesting in the help menu?" (Motoyasu)

With faces betraying their annoyance at having been interrupted from their reading, all of them looked at me with their full attention. Perfect.

"Nothing much. Sorry to interrupt you guys, but I think it'd be best if we could all spend some time talking to each other." (Ren)

"Why?" (Itsuki)

Itsuki seemed genuinely confused at my question. Well, if it had been me back then, I would've thought nothing of cooperating with others. At the very least, Itsuki was just confused.

"Well, though we'll be going separate ways, we'll all have to cooperate to combat the wave so I think we should get to know each other. Things will go smoother if we aren't butting heads and denying the others." (Ren)

Having given them my reasoning, I looked carefully at each of their faces to gauge their reactions. The current Naofumi, Motoyasu, and Itsuki all have different personalities than the ones I know so I'll have to be careful to judge how to communicate with them.

Naofumi was nodding in approval; Motoyasu wasn't as revealing but seemed to be okay with the suggestion; Itsuki was a bit more ambivalent, somewhat perplexed even.

Perhaps I should play more towards their interests. If it was the me back then, the kinds of things I'd want to discuss would be…

"Also, we can exchange any information we've gathered about this world and its systems so far. If there's anything interesting we've found in the help menu, we can share it to benefit everyone. Afterwards, we can discuss our future plans. Making sure our hunting areas don't overlap or that we don't steal each other's quests should be beneficial to our journey." (Ren)

"Ah, I guess that makes sense." (Itsuki)

"Sounds good." (Motoyasu)

As expected, these guys only react to game practicality.

Now with unanimous agreement, the four of us moved to the corners of our respective beds to talk more easily. The guest room, while luxurious and lavish, was also extraneously large. The echo from the ridiculously large space made conversation from a farther distance uncomfortable, so we all got as close as we could without leaving our beds.

Still, though, a bunch of young men talking on top of their beds at night. Was this some sort of slumber party? Somehow, this doesn't feel like a conference between world-saving heroes.

"We already introduced ourselves earlier, but I'm Amaki Ren. I was a highschooler and an avid gamer before I was summoned here. I've been summoned as the Hero of the Sword. I'm looking forward to working with you all." (Ren)

"Ah, nice to meet you." (Naofumi)

"Do you mind if I ask something? You said you were 16, right, Amaki-kun? When did you start playing games?" (Motoyasu)

"What kind of games are we talking about here? RPG's or something like a fighting game?" (Itsuki)

After a rather smooth introduction, or at least I think so, the others started questioning me. My memories were still fuzzy, so I had a little trouble bringing up the requested details.

"Uh… let's see… I think I started playing around middle school but went really hardcore around early junior high. I'm best versed in RPG's, especially MMOs. I don't have too much experience in other games." (Ren)

I struggle to probe my faint recollections for useful tidbits. However, my vague explanations seemed to satisfy the others, who nod with content. Were they trying to gauge my experience and abilities?

"Also, there's no need for formality. Just call me Ren." (Ren)

With that, I motion towards Motoyasu, seated to my left, to go next.

"Hm, me next? Alright, I'm Kitamura Motoyasu. You can all just call me Motoyasu. I was in college before coming here. My hobby is er… was net gaming. Looks like I've been given the Spear, so that'd make me the Hero of the Spear. If you guys ever need help, leave it to this older brother here." (Motoyasu)

Motoyasu beat his chest and shot a friendly smile in our direction. Along with his amiable personality, there was a feel of unwavering confidence in his words. Did he think that he was the most experienced player here since he was the oldest? Either way, he could sometimes be a reliable person so I suppose that confidence isn't too misplaced.

"Uh, can I ask you something, Motoyasu-san." (Naofumi)

"Go ahead." (Motoyasu)

"You seem like you'd be er… popular with girls." (Naofumi)

"You bet. I had a lot of girlfriends before I came here, you know." (Motoyasu)

"Goddamn." (Naofumi)

Naofumi's voice was a combination of awe and mild anger. I suppose any guy would be annoyed when faced with this unrepentant playboy. Even I'm a little envious of his luck with women.

Out of nowhere, Motoyasu's face darkened as if he suddenly remembered something and he turned to us with a grimace.

"Guys, this might be a little off-topic but let me give you guys a word of advice." (Motoyasu)

"…Women are scary." (Motoyasu)

"What the hell happened to you?" (Naofumi)

Motoyasu closed his lips and turned away, refusing to answer.

If I remember correctly, wasn't he stabbed after being caught cheating on his girlfriend(s). Well… he sorta deserved it if he was cheating. Knowing him though, he was probably trying to be nice and not hurt anyone's feelings.

"Well, I guess I'll go next. I'm Kawasumi Itsuki. Since everyone's dropping honorifics, I might as well do so too. Call me Itsuki, if you wish." (Itsuki)

While Naofumi and I were still judging Motoyasu, Itsuki began his introduction.

"I'm a bit more rounded with my game history. I'm okay with all genres of games, from fighting, strategy and even puzzle games. Also, I suppose I'm now the Hero of the Bow." (Itsuki)

Without revealing anything else, Itsuki motioned towards Naofumi to be next. Itsuki was a bit hard to read. With both the fragility as well as the strength of a young noble, it was difficult to tell if he was being friendly or passive. He seemed like someone that'd play the piano.

"Alright, I'm Iwatani Naofumi. I'm a college sophomore. I like video games, anime, and other similar things. I guess I'm the Hero of the Shield. I'm looking forward to fighting this wave thing." (Naofumi)

"Ah… right…" (Motoyasu)

"Uh… nice to meet you…" (Itsuki)

After Naofumi's introduction, the other two put on conflicted expressions and looked at Naofumi with icy stares. They began to mutter just softly enough so that Naofumi couldn't hear.

"…That guy… the shield…"

"Yeah…"

"…gotta be that…"

When they looked at me to see if I agreed with them, I only glared back irritated. I could guess what they were thinking.

Naofumi, however, was clueless and only blinked in confusion, timidly viewing the other two talking behind his back. (Well, not literally behind his back but… you know what I mean.)

"Um… Is something wrong?" (Naofumi)

"Well it's just…" (Motoyasu)

"You see…" (Itsuki)

After a moment of avoiding direct eye contact with Naofumi, Motoyasu decided to speak.

"It's just that… you know… isn't the Shield a loser weapon?" (Motoyasu)

"What!?" (Naofumi)

"You know… in the game, the Shield user is a really weak class. They have really high defense but are overwhelmed by powerful attacks and skills in higher levels." (Motoyasu)

"Eh? What are you talking about? This isn't a game!" (Naofumi)

"Huh?" (Motoyasu)

"Hmm?" (Itsuki)

Upon Naofumi's complaint, Motoyasu blinked in surprise and Itsuki, who had been averting his gaze from the pitiful novice, turned towards the cause of his bewilderment.

"What do you mean? Of course this is a game. I play it regularly." (Motoyasu)

"What? Really?" (Naofumi)

"Yeah. It's super popular as well. You've never played it?" (Motoyasu)

"No. I'm a pretty big otaku but I've never played anything like this." (Naofumi)

"Seriously? But this is Emerald Online! Everyone knows Emerald Online." (Motoyasu)

"I've never even heard of that!" (Naofumi)

"Huh? Are you really a gamer? It's super-famous." (Motoyasu)

"Sorry, the only really big online games I know about are Odin Online and Fantasy Moon Online." (Naofumi)

"What the heck are those? This is the first I've heard of them." (Motoyasu)

"Eh?" (Naofumi)

Both Naofumi and Motoyasu stare at each other in utter confusion. Taking the pause as an opportunity, Itsuki butted into the conversation.

"Hold on, guys. This game isn't an online game, right? Isn't this a console game?" (Itsuki)

"That can't be right. It's definitely an MMO. No matter what, you play in a server with lots of people, right?" (Motoyasu)

"Did you hit your head? Because everything you're saying isn't making sense." (Itsuki)

"No, you're the one speaking nonsense. C'mon back me up on this, Ren." (Motoyasu)

Butting heads with Itsuki, Motoyasu quickly turned towards me, who hadn't joined the conversation yet, for support. Well, I suppose that's my cue to join in and try to bring some order to this unruly mess.

"Alright, calm down everyone. First, let's sort this out. Say what game you think this world resembles." (Ren)

"Easy. Emerald Online." (Motoyasu)

"Dimension Wave, right?" (Itsuki)

"I… didn't even know a game like this existed." (Naofumi)

The three then turn to each other and exchange confused expressions.

"Right. By the way, this world resembles a game I played known as Brave Star Online. It's a VRMMO." (Ren)

"Wait, wait, what. A VRMMO?" (Naofumi)

"Are you pulling our legs, right now?" (Motoyasu)

"Don't joke around. Those kinds of games only exist in science fiction." (Itsuki)

As expected, upon hearing my information, the three are thrown into understandable shock.

"No, I'm not joking. To me, virtual reality is commonplace, and controllers and mouses are antiques that nobody uses anymore." (Ren)

"What in the…" (Naofumi)

"Hold on, we can sort this out." (Motoyasu)

Motoyasu holds his hand out to stop me from continuing. He began to massage his temples. Did he have a migraine from all the confusion?

"Alright, let's figure this out one step at a time. First, the deal with Ren's game." (Motoyasu)

Itsuki raised his hand.

"It's just a hypothesis but maybe Ren's from the future?" (Itsuki)

"I doubt it. I'm a bit of a gaming history expert but I've never heard of any of your games, even though you claim their fame. Besides, that wouldn't solve the problem, since you guys don't know each other's games either." (Ren)

"True…" (Naofumi)

The three nodded.

Well, it was about time for me to finish this.

"Listen. Here's my hypothesis. You know how we've been summoned to another world? Maybe we're all from different worlds." (Ren)

My words ended up coming out a little monotone. It's sort of hard pretending you don't know something and are just guessing.

"I see. That would explain everything." (Motoyasu)

"How about we test it? Let's ask some common knowledge question. Like, for example, the current Prime Minister." (Itsuki)

Motoyasu and Naofumi nodded.

Hold on… who was the Prime Minister again? Shit, it's been so long I don't remember his name…

"Alright, everyone. On 3. 1… 2…" (Itsuki)

An audible gulp could be heard from Naofumi.

"3!"

"Yawara Koutarou."

"Kodaka Enichi."

"Ichifuji Shigeno."

"Sorry, I don't remember…"

"…"

The other heroes take a quick second to give me a "Really?" sort of look.

I'm sorry, okay. It's not my fault that my memory's fuzzy.

"Anyways, I think that settles it. We're probably from different worlds." (Ren)

"Yeah. I've never heard those names before even in History Class. That's the only plausible explanation." (Naofumi)

"A fantasy world is one thing but different Japans too, huh?" (Motoyasu)

"Sure is strange." (Itsuki)

"I never expected that there'd be alternate versions of Japan. Well, I guess you learn something new every day… … … Wait, hold on." (Naofumi)

Having a sudden epiphany, Naofumi raised his hand to his chin and turned to Motoyasu.

"You said that in your world there was a game that resembled this world, right." (Naofumi)

"Hm? Yeah. Emerald Online. Not just resemble, it was the exact same." (Motoyasu)

"And… you said that the shield is a really weak weapon…" (Naofumi)

Naofumi's eyes darkened in gradual despair.

"Oh. Right… yeah. The Shielder class that used shields as its main weapon was basically useless." (Motoyasu)

"NOOOOOOOO!" (Naofumi)

Faced with the unsurpassable fate of his weapon, Naofumi yelled in vain.

"Weren't there any balance changes?" (Naofumi)

"No. Since nobody played it, they never bothered." (Motoyasu)

"Class Advancements?" (Naofumi)

"Sure, but the whole line sucked." (Motoyasu)

"W-what about you guys?" (Naofumi)

Out of desperation, the novice turned towards Itsuki and I.

"Sorry…" (Itsuki)

"Well, it was sort of the same in my world so…" (Ren)

"No way…" (Naofumi)

Losing hope in his class, Naofumi sighed heavily. His shoulders dropped and gradually sank into the matress beneath him.

What was this heavily guilty feeling in my heart as I answered? Seeing Naofumi sprawl across the bed, sighing in depression, didn't do good for my conscience. I should try to encourage him.

"Um…Naofumi, cheer up." (Ren)

"Huh?" (Naofumi)

Without bothering to sit back up, Naofumi slightly raised his head to glance at me.

"Listen, don't get down just because of your weapon. First of all, we don't actually know whether or not the shield is a bad weapon in this world. Just because the games in our world say that the shield is a bad class, it might be different here. If anything, since all four of the heroes were summoned equally, wouldn't it make sense that they're all the same strength? Wait until, you try fighting before you get depressed." (Ren)

"Ren…" (Naofumi)

Slowly, Naofumi's eyes began to brighten as my words reached him. He got up and stopped sulking.

Well, it looks like my encouragement worked. Since I'm here, I might as well take the chance to warn the others of the upcoming dangers.

"That goes for you guys too. Just because this world is a lot like the games we know doesn't mean that we should believe we know everything about it. There might be differences between our knowledge and the ways of this world." (Ren)

"Hm? Ah sure, sure." (Motoyasu)

"Whatever you say." (Itsuki)

"More importantly, does anyone have a map? Let's check the terrain and split hunting grounds." (Motoyasu)

My warning doesn't go as well as I planned but I guess that's to be expected. It'll take more to change their stubborn minds.

Afterwards, we began to overlook the surrounding areas with a map we borrowed from a servant of the castle. The competition to claim hunting grounds became surprisingly fierce. Of course aiming for monopolization of drops and exp, all the heroes tried to bargain for the best spots, though Naofumi didn't know the area so he just tried to get as large of a hunting ground as he could.

After a very heated argument, it was decided that to maximize efficiency and not have us run into each other's zones, we'd all go in separate directions at first. Motoyasu claimed the immediate east area, Itsuki the north, Naofumi west, and South for me. Motoyasu and Itsuki had chosen their areas not only because they were good but also because they knew the monsters there were beneficial to fight against for their respective weapons. Everyone agreed that we'd only restrain the hunting areas for the first few days while we were still in the immediate surrounding area where the weak monsters were. Afterwards, when the area of places we could farm expanded, we'd go wherever we wanted.

Sometime later, we were called to dinner. After an extravagant meal (the others questioned the different tastes of the world but I was at home with it by now), we returned to our room and decided to forego a bath that night to retire early.

Before retiring for the night, I managed to see Naofumi looking uneasily at his shield. Hoping he wasn't still depressed about the whole thing earlier, I walked up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Naofumi. At the very least, we're getting companions tomorrow. Even if your weapon is weak, you'll have others to fight with you." (Ren)

I told him, while giving him a reassuring look. His expression brightens up instantly upon my encouragement.

"Right. Thanks, Ren." (Naofumi)

In response, Naofumi grinned cheerfully. That was definitely a face I never expected the cynical, paranoid Naofumi to make. Well, if he's happy, all the better.

Exchanging good nights, I turned back towards my own bed and flopped onto it, letting my exhaustion melt into the soft mattress. Motoyasu and Itsuki were in bed already, falling asleep.

"Well… it's been quite the day…" (Ren)

I made a final remark to myself and rest my head on the pillow. I could feel a weird, bad feeling when I talked about tomorrow to Naofumi, but I shook it off. Everything will be fine.

Instead, I decided to take the few moments before sleep captured me to think about what had transpired today.

First, I died. Pretty grim start to a day but somehow things turned even weirder. Travelling back in time because of some weird sword I got, and going back to when I was first summoned, has to be the weirdest thing to happen to me yet. Well, maybe not the weirdest but it was definitely up there.

If I think about it, there are quite a few stories where the main character's regret causes him to go back in time and fix his mistakes. Is that it? Am I supposed to start from the beginning and make everything right this time? Looking back, there are many, many things I regret, starting from the Spirit Turtle Incident.

If… I was really sent back to change the past, isn't that too perfect? I should be wary about the effects of changing time. If I'm not careful, I could create some sort of butterfly effect that could bring a disaster about. I know that but… but…

I can't help but feel optimistic. I can do it this time. I won't lose my way. I'll atone for my sins by erasing them. Anything is possible now that I've started over.

So, like that, I slowly drifted into my slumber. Fatigue took over and my brain started to slow down. Contemplating the things I could change, I fell asleep. It was the best sleep I've had in a while.

As a side note, that night, Naofumi fell asleep with a huge grin on his face.

* * *

Afterword:

Wait, is this a second chapter!? What is this witchcraft!?

Self-deprecating Humour aimed at my unstable writing schedule aside, this is Zikari8 here presenting the second chapter of Redemption of the Sword Hero. Gigantic thanks to all those who took time out of their busy schedules to read this, though I suppose you're doing it mostly for your own entertainment. Other than that, I don't have anything to really comment on, except maybe spending a few dozen paragraphs ranting about arbitrary stuff. But that's just stupid so I won't. Once again, thank you for your time and hope you look forward to future chapters. See you next week!


	3. Chapter 3: Morning Monologues

Warning: The following piece of literature contains heavy spoilers for the Japanese Web Novel, known as Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari. Proceed to read with caution

* * *

Disclaimer: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is the property of Aneko Kusagi, Aiya Kyuu, MF Books, and Yen Press. Please support the official release

* * *

"What a nice morning…" (Ren)

After a very peaceful, soothing night, I awoke to greet Dawn's rosy fingers with zeal. Something about my sleep, probably the incredibly comfortable bed, made me feel surprisingly refreshed. I almost regretted that I'd have to sleep in a cheap inn from now on or, even worse, camp on the ground when it came to it. Either way, my body was brimming with energy, and in turn my mind became clear and focused.

By the way, the other heroes were still snoozing away peacefully. It was dreadfully early in the morning and they had a tiring past day, so it'd make sense for them to still be sleeping. Due to my time in this world, I was already accustomed to waking early for morning sword practice, so I naturally woke up at my normal time. Because of the special occasion, I considered staying in bed as well, but habits are a powerful thing, and I was sneaking out the door and heading to find somewhere I could train in peace, before my mind could contemplate otherwise.

As I slipped out, I gave instructions to one of the servants to not wake the other heroes until half past 8 and have a hearty breakfast ready for them. They seemed so peaceful when sleeping, in contrast to their usual active attitudes, that I wanted to let them sleep in as much as they could. Of course, they'd need some time to get dressed and ready to meet the king, so I gave the servant a time limit and counted on her to be their human alarm clock.

While I was at it, I inquired about any quiet, unpopulated, open spaces within the confines of the castle. She pointed out that this early in the morning, no one was in either the courtyard or the garden, though warned to not go to the stables as other servants were hard at work there this morning. Thanking her for her much appreciated assistance, I headed towards the garden as it seemed the more hidden-away option. Besides, I felt like swinging a sword around in the middle of a yard littered with extravagant fountains and lavish statues was inappropriate.

* * *

"Sure is quiet." (Ren)

Entering what looked like a veranda surrounded by a variety of lush shrubbery and vibrant flora, I scanned the surrounding area and confirmed that no-one was nearby. The only thing that could be heard was the distant dawn tweets of rising birds. Perfect.

Keeping in the shade of an overhead balcony, I begin my morning training. Consecutive sword swings, push-ups, and sit-ups, raise my status gradually and keep my mind focused. Usually, I'd jog too, but I paid special attention to where I was and decided against it. It'd be pretty awkward if I went for a jog and ended up running into a gathering of nobles sweat-drenched and panting.

As a side note, the sword I was using for my sword swings was my trusted Spirit Turtle Katana. Perhaps, out of all the swords I owned, the Spirit Turtle Katana was my favourite, not because of its stats but simply the overall feel of the sword. The texture of its grip, glimmer of its blade, and cool, slender appearance emitted a clean, sharp impression. In contrast to the Houou Sword, which boasts the highest stats, now that all my proficiency levels were reset, and its vibrant, flame design, the Spirit Turtle Katana just seemed to hold a more subtle, deep allure. It was a sword worthy of a master swordsman. Whether I was one was still in debate, though.

Thinking about useless things like that, my workout went by swiftly and I was soon finished with my sit-ups, still brimming with energy. For some inexplicable reason, I was extra zealous that morning and was itching for some more training.

"Hmm… I should probably hold off and save some energy for later today…" (Ren)

I began to contemplate my pile of extra stamina. It was true that after the ceremony, we'd be off slaying monsters, and I could just save any extraneous activity for slashing balloons in half. Besides, if I get tired in the middle of grinding, it'd seem pretty lame right? Still, I kinda want to keep working out… A few squats wouldn't hurt anybody right?

Without a second thought, I let my impulse take over and began doing hindu squats in a frenzy. I'm probably the most shocked that I've become so enthusiastic about training now. I understand that as a gamer I'm naturally inclined to grinding, but a daily workout seems contradictory to that gamer identity. Am I gonna become a muscle man at this rate?

It'd be pretty troublesome to become as buff as a certain muscular martial artist that fights in an apocalyptic wasteland. You know, the one that annihilates his adversaries by hitting their vital points. Well, that guy's pretty cool, so I wouldn't mind becoming like him if he wasn't so buff. What was his catchphrase again? Didn't it come with a specific pose too. Oh right…

"You're already dead!" (Ren)

"Waah!" (?)

"Huh?" (Ren)

Caught up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the arrival of another person. Meanwhile, I had just done the famous pose that came with the special catchphrase, pointing directly at the new arrival. Her expression was that of sudden surprise, staring at the strange man who had just pointed at her, declaring her death.

The girl was dressed in a dirt brown tunic, white apron, and sunflower hat. Rather messy brown hair formed twin pigtails and freckles covered her tanned face. She gave off the impression of a villager girl, but her being here definitely meant that she had to be a servant. Was she a gardener? No, more importantly, I should say something. The silence was getting awkward.

"Ah, sorry. Am I in your way? I'll leave immediately." (Ren)

Without thinking, my brain squeezed out an apology and commanded the rest of my body to prepare to depart. I hastily grip my sword and turn away.

"O-oh no. It's okay. No need to leave." (Gardener Girl)

"N-no, don't worry. I needed to go anyways. Bye." (Ren)

With that farewell, I immediately shifted to my reverse gear, and retreated so swiftly and smoothly, I might as well have been moonwalking. The gardener girl continued observing me in wondering awe, up until I turned a corner and could no longer confirm her gaze.

Eventually, my mind exited urgency mode and my feet stopped, allowing me to take an elongated breath. Once I made sure nobody was around, I let it all out.

"Ugh. So embarrassing…" (Ren)

I cupped my face in my hands and mentally bashed my head against a figurative wall, trying to keep in as much of the cringe and shame as I could. Being caught roleplaying as an anime character by a random girl was definitely not on my list of planned objectives for the day. I know I'll probably never see her again but being seen in a compromising situation isn't good for your heart, okay. If I had to compare it to something, I'd say it'd be like trying to copy that famous energy blast technique and your parents suddenly walking in to see you do so. Do you understand my pain, now?

Once I recollect my senses, I soon realized I had wandered into an unknown part of the castle grounds. From where I was, I had a pretty good view of the townscape. The bustle of morning activity was beginning to rise in the streets, as shop-owners began ushering in customers to visit the shops. From that as well as the position of the sun, I surmised that I should probably head back now. It might be a little hard but I had gained a decent understanding of the castle area after many visits here, so I should be able to make my way back without getting lost.

I turned from the townscape and faced the castle as I gently strolled back, the cool breeze brushing against my hair. From what I could see, the castle had woken up at last as the daily morning bustle of servant outlines could be seen from the large, windows peering into the halls.

"I wonder if the others are awake now." (Ren)

I did say that the servant should let them sleep in but they might've just woken up themselves as well. Well, I'd find out once I got back. If they were awake, I'd be fine with them starting breakfast without me, but I'd be pretty distressed if they had gone ahead and started the Companion Gathering Ceremony without me. Just in case, I picked up my pace in fear and entered the castle's interior through a side door. They better not be gaining allies while I was gone.

"Yes… yes…" (?)

"…you understand?" (?)

"Huh?" (Ren)

Pacing down the large stone halls of the castle, I was rushing through an eerily quiet hallway, littered with precious paintings and antique artifacts, when I heard two voices having a barely audible conversation. Startled by the sudden noise and somewhat intrigued, I slowed my pace and looked for the source of the voices for a while. Eventually, I turned a corner and caught a glimpse of two outlines far in the other side of the hallway. We were pretty far and I was quite discreet in my actions so they didn't seem to notice me.

Immediately, I recognized one of them to be the King, simply from the attire he was wearing and the crown on his head. I couldn't see the other's features really well but I could surmise that it was a woman wearing a red dress.

"…funds…ield…okay?" (King)

"…stood…I… change now." (?)

I decided not to interrupt and discreetly sneaked away, unnoticed. They seemed to be having a pretty serious discussion. It was probably just some royal matters that had nothing to do with me. I'm just a hero, afterall. Backdoor deals and paperwork don't suit me.

"Wait… did the King have any female retainers?" (Ren)

Thinking about it, I've never seen any. Usually all the ministers surrounding the king were old men with gray beards and fancy robes…

"Oh well, it doesn't matter." (Ren)

Since it didn't concern me, I shook off the thought and hurried to wash my face and clean off my sweat before breakfast.

* * *

"Oi, what's this? Starting without us, Ren?" (Motoyasu)

"Ah, good morning." (Ren)

It wasn't too much after I sat down at the dining table that the other heroes ambled in. The dining room table was littered with an appetite-inducing feast, fit for kings (or heroes depending on how you looked at it). After cleaning off the sweat from morning training, I dashed to the dining room to be greeted happily with news that the others had just woken up and would be coming momentarily.

"Come and join me. The food's tasty and plentiful. I recommend this meat dish." (Ren)

"Ooh, looks good." (Naofumi)

"Don't mind if we do." (Itsuki)

I motioned for them to come, pointing towards the feast before me. They agreed easily and sat down. Within seconds, servants appeared from some shadow, placing silver ware in front of them and handing them napkins.

"""Itadakimasu!""" (Naofumi, Motoyasu, and Itsuki)

Once they offered their thanks, all three dived in to their meals without zealous gluttony. Plates were filled and cleared at amazing speeds. Was it the first time, other than last night, that they had such extravagant food? After several parties at this exact castle, I was used to it, but maybe such rich cuisine felt especially exotic to the others. Itsuki looks like he might be a rich, spoiled child, but I'm not sure.

"Oh, right. One of the servants said that you had woken up early today, Ren. What were you doing, so early?" (Naofumi)

"Oh, I was uh… just taking in the sights. The scenery outside's really pretty and all." (Ren)

"I see…" (Naofumi)

I brushed off Naofumi's question with a rather suspicious answer. If I said I was doing morning sword training, they'd probably sneer at me about Chuunibyou or something like that. I'd need to be careful about attracting too much attention to myself. If possible, I'd like to keep a generally normal image. Just another hero that definitely isn't hiding anything. Right, keep a low profile and a shut mouth…

"Weird. This omelette tastes like oranges. What's it made of?" (Motoyasu)

"Oh that? That's made from Aranja fruit juice and egg yolk." (Ren)

"Huh… I see… wait, why do you know that?" (Motoyasu)

Dammit! Messed up already.

"Oh, um… I had some before you guys came and asked one of the servants." (Ren)

I tried to clear any suspicion with an air of coolness but the other heroes were already staring at me with questioning eyes. I immediately had the desire to smack myself in the head, but I kept it in and continued eating in silence.

* * *

After breakfast, we returned to our room, having our stomachs happily satisfied. There, we had to wait a little longer since the King wasn't ready for an audience yet. Instead, we sat on our beds and just chatted about what we were looking forward to do on our journeys and what kind of companions we would like. Of course, Motoyasu expressed his desire to have a bishoujo filled harem party, to which we all laughed sarcastically, knowing that the chances of it becoming true were (un)fairly high.

Eventually, a servant entered, informing us that the King was ready to meet us. With high spirits and enthusiasm, we followed him to the audience chamber where the King and 12 battle-gear clad men and women were waiting. It was easy to guess that they were the allies that the King had gathered. From a quick glance, there was a weirdly high women to men ratio, but that might just be my imagination.

"Welcome Heroes. As promised, we have gathered companions to follow you on your journey. They are all eager to make your acquaintance." (King)

The other heroes and I expressed our thanks by simply smiling happily like excited children presented with free sweets. The other heroes were all surveying the crowd of people, looking for potentially powerful people to recruit. However, their plans were soon crushed as the king raised his hand and motioned to us.

"Now future Heroes of this country. Choose the one you'd like to serve." (King)

The gathered comrades all nodded and began looking back and forth between the heroes, gauging us, while the other heroes were left in shock. Although it didn't show on their faces, I had a feeling that, once the heroes realized the situation, they were all praying mentally that more people would choose to join them than the others.

After a while, one by one, the adventurers began to briskly walk across the chamber floor towards their preferred hero. Ah, quite a few were headed in my direction…

"No way…" (Ren)

Immediately, I was wide-eyed as I spotted the adventurers heading walking towards me. Why didn't I think of it earlier… of course this would happen because of the time warp.

Of the people walking towards me, three of them stood out in particular. A man dressed in shiny knight armour, a young magician in a black robe, and a woman in a green tunic and brown cloak. I could never forget who they were…

"Fauly… Bakter… Terishia…" (Ren)

My comrades from a different time strolled towards me, all well and alive. Their deaths had never happened. They were all still adventurers happily joining the legendary heroes to combat the wave that threatened their world. They… they…

They were ALIVE!

"Pleasure to meet you, Hero of the Sword. We will be your companions from now on." (Bakter)

Once they reached me, Bakter, the armoured knight, addressed me with a courteous smile and opened his palm for a handshake. I knew I had to respond properly, but I could barely restrain my emotions. Oh dear, I was starting to tear up.

"Y-yes. It's… good to have you." (Ren)

With the utmost elation, I gripped his hand and firmly shook it. I didn't care if I seemed weird. I couldn't help but feel relief as I looked at all their faces. That's right… this time, I won't let them die. They'll live and be happy. I swear it!

"R-right. We hope to do our best to meet your expectations." (Bakter)

Once I was satisfied with confirming my allies' well-being, I turned back to the others to see how they were doing. It seemed like all the adventures had chosen who they had wanted to join, leaving four separate groups in the audience room. Well, I say four groups but the final tally became something like this:

Me: 4 Comrades

Itsuki: 4 Comrades

Motoyasu: 4 Comrades

Naofumi: 0, none at all

As you can guess, Naofumi was looking at the situation, and his lack of popularity, with an expression of utter despair. Shit. I completely forgot that he started with no allies. Since my mental image of him consisted of a village worth of people always around him, I didn't realize there was a time when he was alone. What to do…

Just as a side note, I soon noticed that the number of comrades I had wasn't the same as last time. If I remember correctly, I had 5 comrades to begin with, first time around, but this time I only ended up with 4. Without a doubt, it must've been some sort of butterfly effect from my arrival here, but I didn't worry too much about it. I was more concerned about Fauly, Bakter, and Terishia, but since they joined me this time as well, everything was good.

Anyways, back to Naofumi…

"Hrmm… I never expected that this would happen…" (King)

"He isn't very popular is he…" (Minister)

While Naofumi was looking desperately at the king for some assistance, a robed man came up and whispered something to the King.

"Yes?... I see…" (King)

"Did something happen?" (Motoyasu)

"Well, apparently, there was a rumour among the castle that of all the Heroes, the Shield was the most unfamiliar with this world's rules and the weakest." (King)

"What!?" (Naofumi)

Naofumi's face was a combination of bitter resentment and resigned depression. He looked around the room panicked before turning to the other heroes, me included.

"Guys. Can't you spare one of your companions? Please, I beg you." (Naofumi)

At his plead, the adventurers turned to each other and their heroes, whispering and occasionally glancing at Naofumi.

As for me, I scratched my head, honestly troubled, and turned to my companions.

"What about you guys? Would any of you like to join the Hero of the Shield? I'm sure he'd be a wonderful hero to follow." (Ren)

I was a bit reluctant to part with Fauly and the others but as long as they were alive, I guess I'd be happy. Besides, I'm sure they'd be completely fine with Naofumi but…

"Um… sorry, but we'd rather not if possible." (Fauly)

"Same." (Terishia)

Fair enough, they refused. After all, they already chose which hero they wanted to follow. It'd be hard to persuade them to change their choice.

"I see… Sorry, Naofumi." (Ren)

"Sorry, but it's not our decision to make." (Motoyasu)

"I feel bad and agree that each hero should have three companions for fairness, but it'd be terrible for morale if we forced them against their wills." (Itsuki)

It seems like Motoyasu and Itsuki had also asked their teams and came out with no results. Itsuki seemed especially troubled, looking at Naofumi with eyes of sympathetic pity. It was as if he had experienced something similar to Naofumi's current situation.

"So, I have to journey alone!?" (Naofumi)

I could feel Naofumi's spirit crumbling as he looked down with a dejected air. Dammit, what could I do to help him…

While I was thinking of ways to help out, a lone hand was raised in the air from the middle of Motoyasu's group.

"My lord, I will travel with the Shield Hero!"

I, along with everyone else, looked at the source of the voice. But among everyone, my reaction was unique. My eyes opened, my heartbeat raised, my breath was drawn, and my hand gripped my sword tightly.

A lone woman stood out among the group of people in the audience chamber. A woman I knew all too well. That red hair, that beautiful face, that seductive body, and those wicked eyes…

Though I appeared calm externally, my mind was sent into frenzy. At once I was filled with memories, shock, and rage. I recalled her name.

 **BIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTCCCH!**

* * *

Afterword:

Yo, yo, Zikari8 in the house. First, I'd like to apologize that this chapter's a little late, like a day or so late. No, I didn't have any urgent personal life matters... I was rewatching To Aru Majutsu no Index...

My ease at being distracted by anime aside, I'd like to offer my most sincere thanks to all those who've favourited this story and reviewed it. I'm glad that the reception for the story has been very positive so far. I'll work hard to meet everyone's expectations! :)

This chapter doesn't have a lot of plot progression, mostly cause half of it is Ren dicking around, but the action really starts rising in the next couple of chapters, considering the introduction of everyone's least favourite whore. I hope you'll look forward to future releases. With that, see y'all next week!


	4. Chapter 4: Comrades-&-Arms

Warning: The following piece of literature contains heavy spoilers for the Japanese Web Novel, known as Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari. Proceed to read with caution

* * *

Disclaimer: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is the property of Aneko Kusagi, Aiya Kyuu, MF Books, and Yen Press. Please support the official release

* * *

 **BITCH!**

Overwhelmed by my emotions, I glared at the vixen with immense bloodlust. My muscles tensed, readying to go into a raging rampage, while my vision began to blur as thoughts of murder and bloodshed filled my mind. Adrenaline and strength spread through my lv. 160 body, spurring me to act. I gripped my sword and began to draw it before my conscience returns to stop me.

Calm down, Ren. Stay cool, don't let your emotions control you. Rage will only blind you.

Listening to my sense of reason, I barely restrain myself from immediately charging at the witch. That's right, I should stay calm and logically analyze the most efficient way to slaughter Bitch and rid the world of a great evil. If I just attack blindly, there might be some unwanted consequences, so I should carefully plan out how to cut her into bits.

Let's see… Right now, we were in a room filled with people, so I can't use any large AOE attacks like Thunder Sword or Hundred Sword. Even Meteor Sword's range is too large as I'd end up hitting all of the innocent woman around her. The most efficient way would simply be dashing while no one was paying attention and stab her right through her chest, piercing that black heart of hers. Alright, planning done, let's go.

"Is everything alright, Hero of the Sword-sama?" (Fauly)

"Eh?" (Ren)

Just before I launched my ultimate attack of Wrath and Justice, Fauly addressed me with a concerned tone. Quickly glancing around, I confirmed that Fauly was the only paying attention to me while everyone else was watching the scene involving Naofumi.

Luckily though, Fauly's question brought me to my actual senses and I immediately relaxed my body. With only a moment of hesitation, I released my grip on my sword. Slowly, my bloodlust is quelled with an elongated breath.

That's right. While killing Bitch as soon as possible would be best for the world, it'd only make things bad for me. I'd just be a criminal that slayed an innocent woman frivolously and turn into a fugitive. As much as it pains me, I can't kill Bitch right now, if I want happiness as well. The optimal situation would be to catch her in the middle of doing something evil, apprehend her, and become the hero that captured the witch.

Either way, I was thankful for Fauly stopping me, and turned towards him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Th-thank you… for your concern." (Ren)

"Ah… no, I'm sorry for bothering you, Hero of the Sword-sama." (Fauly)

In response to my response and warm smile, Fauly timidly turned back to the scene. Was he being bashful? Either way, I really do owe him for stopping me, even if he did it unintentionally.

Once, I fully regained my composure, I glanced back at Naofumi and see that Bitch was now standing next to him, with an innocent smile. It seems like she had been happily accepted as Naofumi's team member while I wasn't looking. Speaking of which, her current name isn't Bitch right? What was it again? Ma… ma… Melted? Something along those lines.

"Are there any others willing to go to Naofumi's side?" (King)

"…."

"…"

"…"

Damn, that silence hurt. I could feel the tumbleweeds coming up and punching Naofumi in the gut. Not a single person even twitched at the question.

The King sighed and turned to Naofumi with pitying eyes.

"Very well. Naofumi, from this point on you are to scout suitable companions on your own and bolster your ranks. Because of these decidedly unique circumstances, I will make a special exception just this once and increase your aid for the month over that of the other Heroes." (King)

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!" (Naofumi)

At the offer of extra funds, Naofumi's eyes lit up while Itsuki and Motoyasu turned a little bitter.

At the king's signal, some servants walked up, holding heavy, jingling moneybags and handed them out to the heroes. Naofumi received 800 silver while Itsuki, Motoyasu, and I were given 600. I took the moneybag and its contents inside with mixed feelings. To me at this point, 600 silver didn't seem like that much, not when I was used to spending absurd amounts of gold on top-notch equipment, but I suppose it's a very generous amount for a bunch of beginning adventurers. I was already the strongest thing in the universe at this point (exaggeration), so I didn't really need it. I suppose I'll invest in my comrade's equipment, instead.

Once the money was handed out, everyone unanimously decided to start heading out. As I led my comrades out of the audience chamber, I took a good look at Naofumi happily walking out with Bitch. My motivation to beat her down grew but I held it in. No matter what, I could not let her get away with any of her vile schemes. First opportunity, I'd catch her and bring her to justice.

If I remember correctly, her very first act of evil was framing Naofumi with rape and stealing his stuff, right? Wait, wasn't that tonight? Damn, that bitch works fast.

I privately clench my fist in determination. I'd act tonight and stop her. I will not let her succeed!

That said, I still have a whole day before the boss fight. I shouldn't waste it. With that in mind, I brought my party to a rather empty section of the castle to start self-introductions.

"Ah, hello, everyone. My name is Amaki Ren, the Hero of the Sword. It is… my pleasure to be fighting with you all. Let us combat the wave together." (Ren)

"The pleasure is all mine." (Bakter)

"It is an honor to be fighting with you, Hero of the Sword-sama." (Fauly)

"Same." (Terishia)

"Ha ha, nice to meet you." (Other comrade)

Fortunately, it seems that my introduction was well-received. Looks like it won't be too hard to get along with everyone.

"I'd like to know a little bit about each of you, if you don't mind. Could you all introduce yourselves?" (Ren)

Upon my suggestion, the group looked at each other for a second and nodded. The first one to step up and introduce himself was Bakter.

"My name is Bakter Fohlguard. I was a knight under the royal army when I was offered the opportunity to become a hero's companion. My weapon of choice is the sword and shield. I'm looking forward to saving the world with you all." (Bakter)

Bakter, Knight, an amiable older brother type.

He was dressed in full armour and was quite buff. Tough hardened muscle rippled hair underneath his protective gear, and a hazardous scar ran across his left cheek. Despite that, he gave off a very friendly, easy-going atmosphere. His smile had a relaxing feel, while his build and kind nature made people trust him in battle. A very reliable person, overall.

"Um… I'm Fauly Savill. I'm a magician that specializes in offensive magic. My specialty is water and ice magic, but I'm also versed in lightning and fire attacks. I'm not that powerful, but I try to make up for that with hard work. Not that, I'm saying that I'm talentless but I… uh… uh… Anyways, it's a privilege for a lowly mage like me to be working with you all. I'll do my best!" (Fauly)

Fauly, Magician, a timid but energetic youth.

He was clad in a black, magicians robe, and carried around a wooden staff. Under his wizard's hat, I could see neck-length blue hair. His facial features were young and boyish, making him seem very childish overall. However, his eyes had fire in them, though his passive nature didn't show it. He had definite potential. I wonder how old he is, though. He couldn't be younger than me… could he?

"Ah, I guess I'm next. Sorry for disappointing but I don't have anything special. Name's Conner Drayton. I come from a small village north-east, where my family lives right now. Peque Village, you've probably never heard of it. Anyways, I'm just a normal adventurer who's decent at using a spear. Pretty pumped to save the world with y'all." (Conner)

Conner, Spear-user, the easy-going, lax type.

He wore a basic adventurer's leather armour, perhaps the best he could afford. A unique red headband covered his messy, light brown hair. He was rather handsome but not to the point where girls would be drooling over him. His weapon was a long, black spear that rested gently in his hands. Out of all the companions, he was the only one that wasn't with me during the battle with the Spirit Turtle. He must've left but whether that was because I chased him out for being useless or out of his own volition wasn't too clear to my fuzzy memory. To be honest, my recollection of him is pretty vague, though I do somewhat recall partying with him. That aside, he was a pretty cool fellow. I'd like to get to know him a little better.

"I'm last. My name is Terishia Coterel. I'm also a mage but I specialize in support magic, with a little knowledge in apothecary. I also am experienced in knife fighting should the need arise, but I'd prefer to be in the backline. That is all." (Terishia)

Terishia, Support Mage, the straight-lace, serious type.

She was dressed in a green tunic and brown cloak, with a belt that held several pouches and a knife sheath. She didn't have a staff, unlike Fauly, but it wasn't really needed as magic doesn't actually require one. Her features were decently attractive, and she could be considered cute, but her deadpan face and cold business-lady like attitude turned others away. I don't really have much to comment about her. I expect that her serious attitude will prove reliable in the future though. Considering she came to me, instead of Motoyasu, I assume she isn't a sucker for pretty boys. Then again, I could be considered a bishounen too… Am I her type? No, that's not worth thinking about.

Everything here seemed like good people. I could definitely rely on them for future events. This time around, I'd really like to spend some time getting to know them all, and becoming real comrades.

"I'm happy to be fighting alongside you all, Bakter, Fauly, Conner, and Terishia. I'm expecting good results from everyone." (Ren)

"Leave it to us." (Bakter)

"Got it." (Conner)

"Understood." (Terishia)

"Yes, sir, Hero of the Sword-sama." (Fauly)

In response to his reply, I turned to Fauly with an uneasy expression.

"Um… this isn't too important but… isn't Hero of the Sword-sama a little long and formal. Just Ren, will do…" (Ren)

"Ah, right. Understood, Ren-sama!" (Fauly)

"No, the sama's a bit…" (Ren)

I scratched my head at Fauly's way of address but decided to just give up on that. He'll drop the honorifics once we get to know each other better… right?

"Ren-sama, may I ask what our first task on the agenda is?" (Terishia)

Immediately, Terishia inquires my plans.

I take a second to think about it. We could start farming right away that we were all acquainted. However, I take a good glance at my party's armour and found it a little light, even for a team comprised half by mages.

"Let's go to a weapon store first to upgrade our equipment. The king did kindly give us a generous amount of funding, after all." (Ren)

"Sounds good. Should I recommend a store? I'm pretty familiar with the blacksmiths in the town." (Bakter)

I take a second to consider it but quickly shake my head. If we're talking about equipment, there's only one person I trust, now. After my dealings with Naofumi, I'm now convinced that that guy is the best blacksmith in the country, if not this world. The Houou Sword in my possession was made by him after all.

"No need, I know a reliable blacksmith." (Ren)

"You do?" (Bakter)

Ah, right, I'm supposed to be someone from another world. Shit, need an excuse um… the servant excuse worked last time so...

"Er… I mean, I was already recommended one earlier when talking to the servants in the castle. Their reviews seemed reliable so I wanted to visit there myself." (Ren)

"I see… well, if you say so, I'll let you lead the way." (Bakter)

Bakter sounded a little uneasy as he stepped back to let me go ahead. Without a doubt, I'd need to be more careful how I revealed what I knew and didn't in this world. I don't want to do something that would bring too much suspicion and ruin my relationship with my comrades.

Keeping that in mind, I led the team to the prior mentioned weapon shop.

* * *

"Hm? Oh, hey, Ren. Coincidence to see you here." (Naofumi)

"Oh. Hey, Naofumi." (Ren)

Upon our arrival at the store with a ridiculously large sword emblazoned on its sign, we entered to see Naofumi and the Bitch inside, talking to the Weapon Shop Owner, while looking at the wares.

I took a second to glimpse at the familiar interior of the store. From floor to ceiling, the walls were littered with glittering, metal weapons and armour of all assortments. The bright light from the shop windows shone in and reflected off the metal equipment, giving them a tasteful shine. Apart from the wall displays, many, many more weapons were hidden away at the back of the store. If it could be used in a fight, the Weapon Shop Owner had it in stock.

"Ah, if it isn't the Hero of the Sword and his companions. Did you come here for equipment as well?" (Bitch)

Upon noticing us, Bitch addressed us with a bright, friendly smile. In response, Bakter grinned back and waved, but I kept my poker face. To think that such an innocent smile hid one of the greatest evils in the universe… it honestly scares me.

"What? The Hero of the Sword, too. For two heroes to come to my shop, I must be more famous than I thought." (Weapon Shop Owner)

The muscular, straight-shot shop owner eyed me and chuckled to himself. I was glad to see him, and immediately walked up to the counter.

"Your quality work is fairly well-known, sir. I'm counting on you to be supply my group with some excellent equipment." (Ren)

"I see you know good smithing when you see it, kid. Well, if you both are planning on becoming regular customers, my shop's fame will shoot up, so I think I'll be getting along with you guys just fine. Nice to meet you!" (Weapon Shop Owner)

"Ah, right. Got it." (Naofumi)

Before talking to the shop owner, I turned to my party and signaled for them to come a little closer and wait for me to negotiate.

"So, what are you two looking for you?" (Weapon Shop Owner)

"Well, I'd like a weapon for combat, to begin with." (Naofumi)

I could see in Naofumi's eyes glimmering as he glanced at the array of weapons on the wall that breaking the news to him would be tough. Well, someone had to do it.

"Um… listen, Naofumi. It's hard for me to say this but… the heroes aren't allowed to wield any weapon other than the legendary one." (Ren)

"Eh? Are you sure?" (Naofumi)

"Is that so…" (Weapon Shop Owner)

Instantly, his eyes darkened a little as he turned towards me with an expression of doubt.

"Yeah, just watch." (Ren)

To demonstrate, I strolled over to the adjacent weapon display and placed my hand on a spear. After a moment for the sword to register my grasp, an electric shock shot out repelling my hand from the shaft of the weapon.

The usual message popped up in my vision:

 _Legendary Weapon Contract Violation: Contact with Unauthorized Weapon_

Everyone else in the shop just looked back and forth from me and the spear with looks of wonder.

"As you can see, whenever you try to wield another weapon, it'll be forcefully rejected." (Ren)

"I see… um, I guess I can only use my shield, huh…" (Naofumi)

With damped spirits, Naofumi turned back towards the still surprised shop owner and had to change his request. The shop owner, pretty dumbfounded, scratched his chin and gazed at the depressed Naofumi.

"Hmmm… I know. If weapons are out, how about I set you up with some protective gear, laddie." (Weapon Shop Owner)

"Eh? A-alright. That sounds good." (Naofumi)

"Oh, if it's armour, I'd like some too, for my party." (Ren)

Taking the chance, I step up and try to order some protective gear for my team, as planned. This, however, elicited varied reactions from them.

"Eh? For us, Ren-sama?" (Fauly)

"You don't really need to, man." (Conner)

"No, no, I insist. With the exception of Bakter, all of your armour is pretty light. You're practically walking paper targets." (Ren)

My reasonable explanation only brought out disapproving frowns from them. Fauly, in particular, was upset about my suggestion, almost sulking. I don't think I'm being unreasonable but perhaps I seem so. How could I convince them?

"U-um… I don't need any armour, Ren-sama. Instead, I'd prefer if you spent the money equipping yourself." (Fauly)

"Huh!?" (Ren)

"Fauly is correct. Your priority at the moment should be your own equipment. I am fine with my current outfit. It is easy to move in and I won't be taking that many hits in the backline." (Terishia)

"Me? But I don't really need it…" (Ren)

Even in the otherworld clothes I was wearing right now, my level of 160 kept me pretty safe from monsters. Even if they could do damage to me, my speed and skill could easily let me dodge and strike back instantly. Well, granted they didn't know that, but still…

"C'mon man. You have the lightest armour out of all of us. Grab yourself some gear." (Conner)

It doesn't look like they'd accept armour even if I bought it for them. How can I make them understand that I'm just looking out for them? Continue with presenting logical arguments, or perhaps simply use my position as Hero to listen to me?

While I contemplate that, Bakter finally steps up and speaks, having been quiet so far.

"Listen, Ren-sama. What everyone is trying to say is that your safety is of the utmost importance to us. We can't have a Legendary Hero die on us, you understand. Can you just back off here and compromise with us a little?" (Bakter)

With a warm smile, the knight reasoned with me. The word he used, Compromise, stuck especially well in my brain. I swiftly glance at Naofumi, who was watching with interest, and recall a conversation I had with him, in the other timeline…

" _Listen Ren, the most important thing in business is that all parties end up happy." (Naofumi)_

" _Eh? Can that happen?" (Ren)_

 _It was just after he had sent me and my group to try our hands at peddling. Of course, it ended in a failure, with very few sales to report. That night, while Naofumi was tutoring me in language as usual, he struck up the conversation, though he didn't seem too into it as he talked while grading my work._

" _That's right. The worst thing you can do in business is push too hard. Whether it's having unreasonable prices or being too pushy with the customer, moderation is important. That's the problem with Female Knight and your selling methods. You're both too energetic and idealistic." (Naofumi)_

" _I see…" (Ren)_

" _Rather than staying strict to your business standards, be flexible and aim for a situation where both you and the customer can come out feeling good about the transaction. Both give and take in balance. Also, Female Knight seems like she'd be especially bad at this kind of stuff, so I'm counting on you to guide her, got it?" (Naofumi)_

" _Yes. I'll do my best." (Ren)_

Well, in the business side of things, my actual sales never went up but the lesson of the story is still valid.

It wasn't exactly peddling, but this was the kind of situation you were talking about, right Naofumi? Heh, to think you'd be helping me out, even now. To pay you back, I'll look after this you, okay?

"Alright, you guys win. I'll get armour for myself." (Ren)

With a slight grin, I raised my hands in defeat. Elated expressions immediately broke out among my party, with the exception of the still poker-faced Terishia, of course.

"Thank you for listening to us, Ren-sama." (Fauly)

"You heard them, sir. Gimme two sets of armour, one for me and one for that guy." (Ren)

I turned to the shop owner and gave him my order while pointing backwards at Conner. The guy himself's expression was some mix of betrayed expectation and surprise.

"Oi, were you not listening, Hero-sama? I'll be fine with what I got." (Conner)

"Sorry Conner, but I refuse to leave you with that leather armour. Fauly and Terishia are one thing, but you'll be taking quite a few hits, so you'll need some protective gear as well. If I'm getting armour, you are too." (Ren)

I make a little smirk as I read out my ultimatum.

"Huh? But… I… er…" (Conner)

Conner's face contorts a little as he considers my demand. After a few moments, he shows a pained expression and raises his own hand in defeat.

"Ffff-fine. I'll take a cheap breastplate." (Conner)

"So… three sets of armour, if I listened right. What's your budget, lads?" (Weapon Shop Owner)

I take a good consideration of the funds I currently held. I had to consider accommodations, consumable supplies, and future upgrades along with the revenue we'd gather from selling monster drops. For now, I could expect a pretty decent income with a 5-man team, so I could afford to be a bit extravagant here.

"I'd say about 100 silver per set. Maybe a little more." (Ren)

"I think that's about the same for us." (Bitch)

"Alright, let me see what I have in the back." (Weapon Shop Owner)

With that, the old man disappeared for a few moments, spent in silent waiting. Conner started whistling mid-way, which only made the time seem to take a little longer. Eventually, the weapon shop owner returned with a loud, metal jingling sound in his arms. Three whole different sets of armour were carried to the counter. With little effort, he laid them out on the table for our inspection.

Naofumi's was a tunic-style set of chainmail, black in colour. Conner's was a silver breastplate that could be strapped on. Mine consisted of a thinner chainmail but with plates of black metal wielded onto vital areas. Without a doubt, I could tell that the shop owner had chosen them especially for each person's needs, even though he had only just met us. What a guy…

"For the shield laddie here, I have this suit of chainmail, my own personal recommendation. For the sword kiddo, a lighter one to not hinder your speed. Finally, you wanted just a breastplate right, spear-user? This one's good and durable, but not heavy enough to upset your balance." (Weapon Shop Owner)

"Awesome." (Naofumi)

"How much does it cost?" (Bitch)

With sparkling eyes, Naofumi was already reaching out and feeling the cold metal, examining its information on his status. I take the opportunity to do so as well.

 _Light Plated Chainmail_

 _Defense Up. Slash Resist S_

Looks good. As always, the old man sells some high quality stuff. I've dabbled in a little smithing myself, so I could ascertain its worth.

"Let's see… for you kids, I'll knock it down a bit. The chainmails will be 120 Silver and the breastplate 100. I'll even throw in the innerwear free of charge." (Weapon Shop Owner)

120 Silver? You could charge 150 for this without any complaints, old man. What a nice guy.

"Do you do buybacks?" (Bitch)

"Hmm? Well, I guess if you brought it back in good shape I'd be willing to pay 100 silver coins for it." (Weapon Shop Owner)

"What's wrong, Mein?" (Naofumi)

Hearing the rapid fuss that Bitch was making, Naofumi lifted his gaze from the set of armour and looked at his pretty companion.

"Oh, Shield Hero. I was just asking him how much we could make back on this armor once you outgrow it." (Bitch)

Was that the part where I was supposed to laugh? Please, Bitch. I know that you're just trying to find out how much you can sell that chainmail for once you've stolen it from Naofumi. I know your game; you can't fool me.

"Okay then. I'll take it." (Naofumi)

"We're okay with ours as well." (Ren)

Once we confirmed our purchases, we reached into our moneybags and paid the shop owner for the armour. For his generosity, I tried to give him a little extra, but he noticed it and gave it back to me, thinking I had just counted wrong. One by one, we were led into the changing room, where we put on our new equipment.

"Gahaha. You guys sure look sturdier already, though not by much." (Weapon Shop Owner)

"Er… I'll take that as a compliment." (Naofumi)

Now that we had our purchases all in order it was time for us to head out to the field. While I led my group out of the shop, I took a moment to talk with Naofumi.

"Oi, Naofumi." (Ren)

"Hm? What's wrong, Ren?" (Naofumi)

I take a good look at his face. His large eyes, excited smile, and innocent expression.

I've been in this man's care in my timeline, one where he had suffered much pain. When I was left astray, he spearheaded the mission to bring me back to my senses. Right now, the only thing I could possibly do to repay him is to keep him from feeling that pain once again. Whether it's eliminating the source of his torment or even shouldering the blows in his place, I need to do something to repay his kindness.

That's why I smiled. I smiled and spoke to him.

"Take care… okay? I understand it'll be tough for you, only having one companion and all, but I trust you'll pull through. I know you can do it." (Ren)

"Ren…" (Naofumi)

His face grew soft.

"Thank you. Thanks a lot, Ren." (Naofumi)

He held out his hand, which I grasped and shook with pleasure.

"Shield Hero, we should hurry to the field." (Bitch)

"Ah, yes. I'll see you soon, Ren." (Naofumi)

"Cya." (Ren)

With that, the pair of them retreated, strolling down the streets towards their target hunting grounds. As they left, I shot a quick "I'm coming for you" glare in Bitch's direction but she didn't notice and continued walking while speaking in a sweet tone to Naofumi.

"You seem to be very close with the Shield Hero, Ren-sama." (Bakter)

"What are you, brothers from another life?" (Conner)

My party brought my gaze back into focus with their side remarks. Bakter and Fauly had been watching the scene with warm expressions while Conner shrugged and Terishia stayed indifferent.

"Of course. We, heroes, have to be close and work together at a time like this. More importantly, we'll be heading out to the field, now. Once we get there, listen closely to my commands. We'll mainly work on getting our combat formation set up properly, today. Understood?" (Ren)

"""Understood!""" (Ren's Party)

* * *

To say the least, hunting went unnaturally smoothly. I managed to remember Bakter, Fauly, and Terishia's abilities so the only unkown variable was Conner. The Spear Fighter was very flexible, though, so I was able to construct a working formation in no time, with Bakter and I in the front, Conner a little bit behind, and the two mages in the back. Whenever there was a problem, I stepped in and eliminated it immediately.

Speaking of which, to the lv. 160 me, the balloons we faced were weaker than the smallest of small fry. They moved so slowly and I only needed to barely tap them before their HP bars hit zero, much to the amazement of my party.

As a further side note, Conner demonstrated his unnaturally skilled ability at dismantling monster corpses, leaving us with a lot of loot and plenty of leftover items for me to store in my sword's inventory hammerspace. With the excess drops, we returned to the town with quite a bit to sell. Our total profit came down to about 8 Silver, an extremely high amount for a first day.

As such, we all had a hearty toast at a nice inn, and retired for the night with pleased expressions. Well, when I saw we, I mean everyone but me. After waiting a little while upon entering my room, I discreetly snuck out, taking care not to alert anyone, including the other patrons in the inn. Once I got out onto the night streets, I gripped my sword tightly and readied myself.

"Time to go witch-hunting." (Ren)

* * *

Afterword:

Hello, citizens of the interwebs, Zikari8 checking in again with another chapter of the Redemption of the Sword Hero. Life's been busy lately but I managed to squeeze in some time to write this chapter for y'all. Well, maybe life isn't that busy if I was able to write a chapter 1.5 times the length of the previous ones. This chapter could've easily been two, but I didn't you to make you guys wait 1 more week for more action.

This chapter features the introduction of the first original characters in this fanfic so far: Ren's Party. If you have the time, go ahead and tell me what you think of these four adventurers with a review. Other than that, I'd like to continue thanking everyone who's favourited, reviewed, or even just read this fanfic. I'm glad to see it's so loved. Until next time, have a good week and build up your anger for Bitch. Bai Bai!


	5. Chapter 5: Midnight Malice

Warning: The following piece of literature contains heavy spoilers for the Japanese Web Novel, known as Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari. Proceed to read with caution

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Disclaimer: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is the property of Aneko Kusagi, Aiya Kyuu, MF Books, and Yen Press. Please support the official release

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Author's Preword:

Hello, all frequenting readers. Zikari8 here bringing just another chapter to your doorsteps.

The reason I'm doing a preword instead of an afterword this time is that I'm mostly here to apologize for the delay for this chapter. I had exams all of last week so I just wanted to present my standard excuse. I'll delete this preword once the next chapter is posted. Anyways, I'll get out of your way now and let your read the chapter. Enjoy :)

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"It's cold tonight… perfect for a serving a dish of sweet vengeance." (Ren)

Even as I made stupid jokes to myself, my heart raced. Chills, not from the cold of night, crawled across my skin and my erratic breath produced small puffs of white frequently. In anticipation of the task to come, my body refused to settle down and shivered with excitement. I had a mission. One that I couldn't fail.

It wasn't too late into the night, as I had ushered my comrades to retire a little early to gather strength for tomorrow. The long, winding streets of the town bustled with the energetic thrive of night life. The sounds of closing shops and starting parties could be heard from every corner of the dusk-clad town. Lanterns were hung within establishment interiors, lighting the streets through the storefront windows. Inside, the outlines of toasting adventurers, dining families, and hard-working merchants could be seen. The streets were alive yet peaceful.

However, I didn't have much time to admire the sights. I immediately set out on my task, dashing down the streets while endeavoring to maintain inconspicuous secrecy and speed at the same time. My targets were the inns where adventurers and travelling merchants stayed for a few coppers a night. I needed to find the one where Naofumi was staying soon, or else I'd be too late.

The Castle town lay in the center of several trade routes and held many important guilds, so it held quite a number of hospitable establishments from lavish hotels to dirty hostels, which were essentially comprised of four walls, a roof and nothing else. The night was short so I had to be swift, without time to check every inn in the area. Instead of searching blindly, I narrowed my targets to a select few through simple deduction. Naofumi was hunting in the west today, so he'd probably choose an inn on that side of the city. Considering his budget, he couldn't afford anything extra luxurious, but I had a hard time believing that stuck-up princess companion of his would settle for something too poor. Thus, I'd only have to check any west-ward middle-classed inns. I had already compiled all such establishments on my map, under the pretense of looking for a suitable place to stay for the night, and found only a handful of possible places. Determined and ready, I leapt down the winding roads, dashing from inn to inn.

I was lucky. I hit the jackpot on my second try. Under the pretense of wanting to discuss something with the Hero of the Shield, I inquired the inn owner, or at least the old guy at the counter, whether he was staying there. Affirming my question, the inn owner asked if he wanted me to have him get the Hero of the Shield, but I declined, saying I didn't want to wake him, as I needed to be secretive about my mission. Instead, I said I'd talk to him in the morning and asked for his room location to do so. Afterwards, I casually exited the inn, strode a little down the streets, turned a corner, and began compiling some sort of tactical strategy.

From what I gathered from the inn owner, Naofumi's room was next to Bitch's and on the second floor. All the rooms had a window that looked out onto the streets, for lighting and scenery. It seemed like luck was on my side as I originally feared having to sneak through an inn filled with loud, boisterous patrons. Instead, I should be able to infiltrate the second floor through the room windows, which I assumed to not be durable enough to withstand a Lv. 160 Hero's attack.

As mentioned, the road that the window looked out on was dimly lit by lantern light, but not so much that you could see properly. One of the skills that I had in my arsenal, though very rarely used, was one known as Hide Sword. It bended the light around me making my figure see through. Outside in the blinding sunlight, this only ended up creating a translucent human outline which only became even clearer when the user moved. However, in the dark of night, the ever convenient cloak of shadows provided an additional camouflage to my skill, essentially making me invisible, especially to a busy townsman minding his own business.

Once I confirmed all the information I had, my plan was formed.

"Hide Sword." (Ren)

With a selection of a skill and a drop in SP, my body disappeared from sight, hidden in the darkness of night. I warily stepped out onto the streets, careful to not make any conspicuous sounds or motions. The little noises I made, the rustle of my clothes, patter of my feet, chorus of my breath, and beat of my heart, seemed a loud cacophony for all to listen. I felt like a walking jukebox that all noticed but never turned to look at. Any moment now, someone would glance at me and ask what I was doing…

Oh my, I was being slowly driven paranoid by my anxiety. Not good. If this causes me to screw up at this point in the game, I'd be shamed for life.

Eternity and two later, I successfully dragged myself to the wall of the inn, standing just below Naofumi's window. The wall was wooden, with few footholds to scale it. If I tried, I could probably climb up by precariously clinging onto the few, little partitions in the planks with my fingernails, slowly bringing myself to the second floor. Or I could rely on my ridiculously over powered body and jump all the way up. Yeah, I prefer the second option too.

I pumped strength into my hamstrings, gathering the necessary power to leap to the second floor. Once I felt like I had a sufficient trajectory, I pushed up and launched my figure upwards. Like a firework, I shot up off the pavement, across the wall, past the window, to the sky… wait what?

"Oh shit…" (Ren)

The realization that I had overshot my jump hit me hard and I was awarded a moment to think as I hung in the air, just before gravity kicked back in and threw me down into freefall. The impact of hitting the ground meant nothing to my HP bar but it did to the success of this mission. The sound would surely alert all those around, ruining any chances I had.

Thinking quickly, I stretched out my limbs and gently pressed them onto the wall. Friction did its work on my unprotected hands, decelerating my descent enough so that I could grab onto the Naofumi's window ledge desperately without producing a parade's worth of sound. Ow. I've heard of carpet and rope burn but wall burn was definitely new.

For a moment, I feared I had failed and that my antics had alerted one of the men below or, even worse, the hero within the room. I glanced down and listened attentively for any audible signs that indicated my discovery… No one was staring back up at me. Not even the sound of rustling within the room could be heard. Good.

Taking my chances, I risked a quick peek into the room. If I found a stripped Naofumi and no signs of his chainmail or precious silver, I'd have nobody to blame but myself for not arriving earlier. Fortunately, a happily snoring Naofumi and his belongings were still placed in their rightful places.

The room itself was rather simple, furnished only with a bed, a table & chair, and a single carpet at the bedside. It was dark, with only slim lamp light creaking in from under the door. The window I hung onto looked directly at the only door, with the table in between us and Naofumi's bed resting on the right wall.

Everything was going relatively well. All I had to do now was wait for Bitch to show up. The second she does, I'll burst in and arrest her on the spot. I don't care if it takes all night, I'll stalk my prey patiently.

Although it was a little uncomfortable, my finger strength alone was sufficient for me to grip onto the window ledge for hours. Nothing could stop me now. Soon, I shall have my vengeance…

Anytime now.

…

…

…

…

…

"Where the hell is she?" (Ren)

Hours must've passed by as I continued to peer into the empty room without falter. After so long, not even the B in Bitch had so much as approached the room, much less entered it. I was growing tired of waiting, and my prolonged lack of activity invited sleep to take me away. Even so, I clung on stubbornly to that window ledge, my only lifeline. The instant I let go of it, I tossed any hopes of saving Naofumi down the garbage chute. So I hung and clung, refusing to blink, lest I miss the witch's magic trick.

Another light year passed by on standby before I was released from my suffering.

A rattle. So sudden that I wondered if I imagined it. A pause later, another. And another. Eventually, the rattling sound continued without stop until a soft, barely audible clicking sound quelled the chorus.

Like the opening of the gates of Hell, the unlocked door creaked open revealing the devil, herself. In the darkness of the room, I couldn't make out her features, yet I somehow knew what her face looked like. Eyes hidden behind a curtain of shadows, and pink puckered lips formed into a slim crescent. An expression I've seen too many times: The face of evil.

With an eased stride, she made her way across the room, first to Naofumi's bed to confirm his slumber. Once she had, she turned to the table, where her loot was waiting. Leisurely, those pale hands wrapped their slender talons around their lucrative prey: The bag of silver and precious chainmail.

Her smirk widened. She had done it, without a hitch in her mastermind scheme. Well, except one.

"I've caught you red-handed!" (Ren)

"What!?" (Bitch)

Accompanied by the sound of shattering glass, my voice echoed across the room. I landed inside just in front of the window, falling shards of glass reflecting the moonlight behind me. My sword was already brandished should the Bitch provide vain resistance. Adrenaline and bravado burst through my veins as I addressed her.

"Sorry, but I caught onto your vile plans, vixen. As the Hero of the Sword and ally of Justice, I hereby arrest you for attempted thievery. Surrender peacefully, criminal." (Ren)

"Y-you… How did you…" (Bitch)

Bitch's face was a brilliant amalgam of shock, bewilderment, and fear. It was honestly beautiful to witness.

I had her cornered. The evidences of her crimes were the very items she still stupidly held onto in her arms. Caught red-handed, the red-haired bitch could only tremble and cower in fear. If she tried to run away or fight back, I'd instantaneously rush her and knock her out. No excuse, no escape, no chance of success. All her options were sealed.

I win!

"Wh-what's happening…?" (Naofumi)

From the giant ruckus we were making, Naofumi obviously arose from his bed. However, I could see his eyes still wearily wavering between conscience and inactivity.

Things might get messy if Naofumi got dragged into this. I resolved to hurry up and arrest Bitch.

"I've got you cornered. Return those stolen goods and come quietly with me. If you don't, I will be forced to use physical force." (Ren)

Confident in my victory, I stepped forward to apprehend Bitch. I readied my sword to strike should she show any indication or intent of struggle.

It was at that moment, when I focused all my senses on the movement of her body, she showed her true colours.

"Kyaaaaa! Help!" (Bitch)

"W-what?" (Ren)

Abruptly, my motion was halted by Bitch's scream. Her feminine squeal carried across the entire inn, leaving me startled by her sudden cry.

The surrounding area burst into activity. By the time I realized what she had done, footsteps were already halfway up the staircase. Questioning voices arose from the neighbouring rooms and a chaos of activity erupted in the lobby below.

"You, you bitch." (Ren)

"Heh." (Bitch)

Without even the slightest intention of keeping up her facade anymore, she sneered at me with the dirtiest smirk. It was the look of contempt, pity, and pride: The face of a victor.

I was bewildered, unable to completely process the ensuing situation. Everything happened faster than I could react. But among all the incoming chaos, I realized one thing and one thing only. I was fucked.

"What's going on here!?" (Adventurer A)

"We heard a scream." (Adventurer B)

Within an instant, the entrance to the room was flooded with curious and worried patrons. The entire inn had been woken by Bitch's scream and accumulated at the cramped entryway.

Seeing that her convenient tools had arrived, Bitch immediately switched to her innocent visage and dramatically flew backwards, landing into one of the adventurer's arms.

"P-please help me, sirs. The Hero of the Sword suddenly burst into the room and attacked me." (Bitch)

"""What!?""" (Crowd)

Simultaneously, the entire crowd turned at once. They all glared daggers at me, and readied to use some.

Shit.

"N-n-no! Don't listen to her, she's lying! Look at her arms. She was trying to steal the Hero of the Shield's stuff." (Ren)

"Please stop him, adventurers. He's here to steal the Hero of the Shield-sama's funds. I managed to secure them before he could snatch them away, so he attacked me." (Bitch)

Confronted with the two battling testimonies, the crowd of adventurers glanced back and forth between the Bitch and me, considering who they believed. One by one, the adventurers' gazes stopped and rested on me…

"Oi, wait… why are you all looking at me like that…" (Ren)

I stumbled back and gaze at the scene in front of me. Every eye in the room was pointed at me, speaking of their owner's hostile intent. Not a single one of showed any sign of doubting Bitch.

"You fiend! You call yourself a hero?" (Adventurer C)

"Don't move, scum. Quick, someone call the guards!" (Adventurer D)

After a quick nod to each other, two of the adventurers stepped up and charged forward, weapons drawn should I fight back.

"Wait! no, listen. I'm not - Guh!" (Ren)

Before I could even finish my sentence, the two adventurers grabbed one of my arms each and tried to hold me down, with an experienced restraint lock.

They were weak. If I had tried, I could've thrown both across the room with a twist of my wrist. However, I never bothered, maybe because I didn't register them as a threat.

"Everyone. Don't be fooled by her words. She's just trying to trick you." (Ren)

I shouted out desperately, addressing the crowd. I had to convince them that Bitch was the criminal here. My eyes darted left to right, looking for anyone on my side.

"Everyone, think about it. Why was she in here to begin with? Isn't that too suspicious?" (Ren)

No one moved. Their glares and hostile intent remained.

Dammit, why weren't they listening to logic? I was correct. If they thought about it, they'd see who was right and wrong here.

"Please. Listen to me!"

Anyone. I needed someone to hear me out. They'd understand once they saw the evidence. All they needed was to take a good look, and everything would become clear.

So, why… why was no one listening? Why were they all just standing there, watching me?

"Shut up, maggot. You're annoying."

One of the men restraining me yelled out and tried to shut me up by bashing my head against the floor. It didn't hurt, but I winced out of reflex.

"N-no, I'm just…" (Ren)

"Yeah. Be quiet. We don't want to hear a criminal's excuses."

"Just sit there and wait for the slammer."

"You attack an innocent woman and think she's evil? What a joke."

I listened to their remarks… and I realized. They had never tried to listen to me from the beginning. Logic? Belief? They didn't care about that. They just wanted to protect the pretty woman.

I raised my head and scanned the sea of patrons. In the dark shadows of the walls, their faces were hidden, revealing only their eyes. I saw those eyes, shining in the shadow like malefic stars in the night sky. Judging me, looking down on me, ridiculing me but never really seeing me.

That's right. They never really saw me. They never saw Bitch. They just saw a pretty girl and her attacker, never digging any deeper.

My stomach churned. A feeling I once felt built up inside me.

Pitch black emotion came out from my heart. My own vision blurred, covered in a dark haze.

Stop it. Stop looking at me like that. I didn't do it. I'm not evil, she is. She's the bad one. I'm the good guy. She's the witch, and I'm the Hero. Don't listen to her… I….

It was then I saw it. Through the sea of people, that lone woman smirked. With everyone looking at me, she shot a single smug grin in my direction, so sudden and quick that I have to wonder if I imagined it.

But that pushed me off the edge.

"BIIIIIIITCH!" (Ren)

Power rippled through my muscles, blasting the adventurers restraining me away.

It was her. She was the cause of those looks. She was the root of everyone's glares.

That witch. That whore. That slut.

I'll kill her. All I have to is kill her. Then, the evil will be gone.

In a berserk rage, I dashed forward, sword in front of me. I was across the room in an instant, before anyone could register my attack.

No one could stop me now.

I saw nothing but red. That scarlet hair. Those rosy cheeks. Those devilish lips. And soon, that crimson blood.

My sword pulsed, filling with the power of my heart. Its spirit twisted, turned and reformed into a hungry beast. The glow of fiery passion burned through its metal blade.

I swung it down, slicing through the air in my way. Visible streaks of light were left in the path of my blade.

A moment before her death, Bitch realized what had happened. She watched my sword fall upon her, most likely seeing her life flash before her eyes as well. Her face contorted to show her shock, her fear, her despair. She looked like she was about to burst into tears and piss herself. Heh, a fitting face for the bitch princess she was.

I'll see you in hell, Bitch.

Now, DIE!

"Ren!" (Naofumi)

"!" (Ren)

In the very corner of my peripheral vision, I saw Naofumi. The innocent expression I tried to preserve was now confused, uncertain of its surroundings, yet still shouted out.

What… what was I doing? Kill Bitch? Why?

Cause she was evil? Cause she had betrayed many? Cause she had turned everyone against me?

No, I was just angry. I wanted to kill her to satisfy my wrath. I didn't care about justice, the world, or anyone else. I just wanted to slay Bitch to satisfy my own rage.

But… if I do, what would happen. I'd be evil. I'd be the murderer. The citizens would scowl at me, my companions would abandon me, my future would crumble. But among that all… Naofumi would hate me the most. He'd scorn the man that killed his companion. That man who had seemed so nice turned into a berserk killer. He would never smile at me again… and I don't think I could take that.

"Eh?" (Bitch)

I stopped.

Just before I killed Bitch, I stopped my blade to the surprise of all present. Shockwaves from the swing pushed a few surrounding people away, but no one had been hurt.

My sword was right in front of Bitch, almost grazing her skin. I was a lv. 160 Hero in a room of beginner adventurers. Even if they all teamed up, I could beat them while yawning.

I had my chance.

I could've sliced Bitch in half... But I didn't.

In an instant, I could've executed a combo of sonic slashes and chopped her into pieces... But I didn't.

I could've knocked out every single person in the room and taken my time slowly torturing Bitch until she died a fitting painful death... But I didn't.

Yet, I couldn't change my fate. I couldn't make others believe in me... So, I didn't.

*Thunk*

The sound of metal hitting wood, not flesh, echoed through the room. I pierced the floor next to bitch and lowered my head.

"I'm done." (Ren)

"…what?"

"I surrender. Take me away, if you want. I lose." (Ren)

Nobody moved, paralyzed. Time dragged on in inactivity, no one daring to be the one to break the silence.

Eventually, a brave soul breathed, and the room leapt back into action. The two men, who had been blown away, pounced at me again and had another two help them hold me down. Their strength stats sucked, but I didn't struggle. People got out of the way so that they could bring me downstairs where they'd keep me until the guards got here. Someone was yelling insults at me, but I didn't listen.

I'm sure Bitch was doing something, but I didn't spare a glance at her.

"R-ren…" (Naofumi)

As the men began to drag me away, I heard Naofumi's voice behind me. I thought I had steeled my heart, but I still looked back and crossed eyes with him.

After witnessing the dramatic spectacle unfold while he lay in bed clueless, he had finally risen to address me, breathless. His eyes were clouded with confusion and worry, yet I felt like they were clearly looking at me. However, I couldn't bear to face him much longer and turned away…

"The hell? This guy's crying."

One of the men restraining me remarked.

Away from Naofumi, I lowered my head and let them drag me off…

* * *

Soon after, the guards arrived and I was passed on into their possession. They stuffed me in a carriage, where another guard sat next to me to keep an eye on me, lest I planned an escape. Of course, they locked my arms in some sort of medieval handcuff. However, I never moved, much less struggled. The carriage began driving off through the winding roads.

"Where will you take me?" (Ren)

Perhaps surprised by my sudden inquiry, the guard sitting next to me paused before answering.

"Prison. You'll spend the night there. Your trial will be tomorrow. Since you're a hero, the king will deal with you personally." (Guard)

"I see…" (Ren)

Time and the carriage wheels continued turning in silence until we reached the prison. I was pushed out of the cart and shoved into the prison building. The prison itself was a stone mansion on the outskirts of the town, hugging the town walls. Metal fences surrounded the prison, but I knew they were just for decoration. The real security measure was a powerful barrier that enveloped the entire area. It was made so that people would be unable to pass through the barrier unless they were accompanied with someone authorized by the magicians that had erected it. Of course, it could be broken done through pure force, but it'd require a considerable amount.

I was led through more windings roads down a labyrinthine maze of jail cells. I felt like the guard was just toying with me and walking in circles but we slowed down eventually as we reached my cell.

On my way through the prison, I glanced at the people within the cells. Most of them looked like the typical prison inmate, rough, thugs that were just doing their required time. A few looked especially shabby, as if they were homeless beggars before coming here. Surprisingly, I sometimes went past a cell that held a fat, dignified man within. Fallen nobels? Failed revolutionary aristocrats? Well, I suppose all sorts of people are arrested for all sorts of reasons.

As we slowed down upon turning a final corner to my personal cell, I scanned the area to see if I'd have any neighbors for the night. My discovery was shocking.

In the cell mid-way down the corridor, there was a woman. She had her head down, covering her face in a blanket of hair. Dirty, tattered rags clothed her body. She looked like a woman who had seen the depths of hell and barely survived. Yet I recognized her immediately.

"Eclaire!" (Ren)

The surprise snapped me out of my silence, and I easily broke free from the guard's grasp to get a closer look at my most trusted companion. Though her glossy strawberry-blond hair was dirtied with lack of care and time, though her proud posture had become a slumped ragdoll in a jail cell, though her beautiful figure was but an empty shell, I knew it was her.

Why? Why was she here?

The answer came immediately, as if it had always been there. She had told me that she was in prison when I had first been summoned to the world, but the actual thought never really registered in my brain. Still, my heart shattered at the sight of her, a mere shadow of a human, rotting away in prison.

I couldn't bear to look, but she had heard my cry and slightly raised my head.

"…Do I know you?" (Eclaire)

I was left speechless. The proud tone she had always lectured me in was now a hollow voice, nothing but words without fire. I looked into her eyes as she raised her head, and found no colour or life. She wasn't Eclaire anymore… she was just a person with that name.

"I… I…" (Ren)

Emotions rampaged through my heart, yet I couldn't find the words. What could I say? Nothing came to mind but images of her eyes.

"N-no… I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone else." (Ren)

I averted my gaze from the pitiful sight and was immediately seized by the guard.

Once he had ascertained that I was no longer struggling, he started to drag me away again. As I walked off, I stole a final glance at the woman I loved… and found nothing there.

I was finally shoved in a cell, about 3 away from Eclaire, and had nothing but to wait for the morning. Left alone in the cell, I stared thoughtlessly at the damp, stone ceiling above me. There was no light in the cell, but my eyes were already adjusted to the darkness. Every now and then a drop of dirty moisture fell from above and hit my face. I didn't move. The cold water felt good.

I couldn't keep my mind blank for long though, and my conscience wandered off to thoughts of the day. I thought of Bitch, of Naofumi, of my new comrades, and my old ones.

Recollections of those eyes surfaced to my displeasure. Those piercing daggers which stab without aim. I wonder… once they hear of what had happened, would Bakter and the others look at me with those eyes. What was I saying? Of course they would. They would all scorn me, ridicule me, and judge me at the drop of a hat. If anything, their glares might be the strongest…

A stray question popped up, concerning Naofumi and Bitch. In a way… hadn't I won? I should be happy. I had stopped Bitch's plan albeit at the cost of myself. I swore to protect Naofumi even if it meant hurting myself right? Well, that was exactly what happened.

Yet, when I thought about it, I felt anything but satisfied at the result. Though I had stopped her plans, I couldn't really convince myself that Justice had been served…

Heh. I felt like laughing at the thought of that word. Justice. A word I had heard far too many times in that timeline. It was Itsuki's favourite word, and Eclaire chased it as her life mission. Yet, she was here, in the melting pot of society's trash. The paragon of virtue and poster girl for Justice was rotting in jail. What delightful irony it was.

Eventually, I decided to stop thinking.

I was tired. Tired of thinking. Tired of fighting. Tired of people and tired of the world.

So, I closed my eyes, and sank into darkness.


End file.
